Planogjiaim



1. A. FISHER.

PERFORMED SHEET.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2. 191s.

Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

47 Z5 Z1 Z4 J. A. FISHER.

PERFORMED SHEER,

APPLlCAT-ION FILED APR.2. 1915.

1,310,238. Pixtented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JOHN A. FISHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NO-R T0 IMPERIAL PLAYER ROLL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PERFORATED SHEET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. FIsHER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Perforated Sheets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to perforated sheets and, more specifically, to perforated sheets musical instruments, which sheets are prepared automatically by a perforating-machine controlled by a master-sheet.

After the note-perforations have been made in these sheets, it is necessary that they be provided with identification-means, in order that it may be readily determined what musical selection each sheet represents.

Heretofore, it has been customary for workmen to place an identifying number on the sheets after they have been perforated, as by means of a hand-stamp or by writing the number thereon. This requires considerable time and there is a possibility of error, as the workmen may stamp them with the wron stamp, or otherwise place the wrong number thereon.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide an improved system for providing perforated sheets with identification-indicia, which system will not require the time of the workmen and will insure that sheets, prepared from the same master-sheet, will always be provided with the same identifying indicia.

Incidentally, means are provided whereby, in the use of one of the sheets thus prepared, after the end of the musical selection is reached and before the perforated sheet is entirely unwound from its spool, a discord will be produced which will indicate that the unwinding of the sheet should be Specification of Letters Patent.

identification indicia.

Patented July 15, 1919. Serial No. 18,671.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of a mastersheet, showing some of the perforations which control the punching of the noteperforations and showing the perforations which control the punching of the identifying numbers or characters in the musicrolls;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of part of a musicroll, prepared in accordance with my invention, showing some of the note-perforations, the perforations arranged to form identifying numbers or characters, and the spool to which the roll is attached; and

Fig. 4: is a plan view of part of asheet, showing all of the numerals and the specific arrangement of the perforations whereby one numeral will not be easily mistaken for another.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a part of the master-sheet (preferably that part following the note-perforations) with perforations arranged so that, when placed in position to control an automatic perforating-machine, the master-sheet will cause the note-sheets, punched by the perforating machine, to be provided with perforations arranged to form indicia whereby such sheets may be distinguished from other sheets.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference character 10 indicates a mastersheet, of the character described above, provided with transverse markings 11 to aid the workmen in determining where to place the perforations in the sheet, with perforations 12 which are to control the perforating-machine to produce the note-perforations, and also with perforations 13 which are to control the perforating-machine to cause the note-sheets to be provided with The master -sheet may be perforated in any suitable manner, as by means of a hand-punch or perforatingmachine. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the master-sheet is shown provided with perforations 13 arranged to cause the notesheets to be provided with the identificationnumber 5766 After the master-sheet has been thus prepared, it is placed in position to control the operation of an automatic pcr-.

sheet, is also mounted in the frame 14 and is provided with spurs 19 for engagement with openings in the sides of the master-sheet 10. A series of punches 20 are slidably mounted in openings 21 and 22 in the platen 15 and guide-plate 23, respectively. The upper ends of these punches are positioned to extend into openings 24 in a die-plate 25 located above the platen 15. A cross-bar 26 is mounted for vertical, sliding movement in the frame 14 and is driven from the shaft 27 by means of a crank 28 and connecting-rod 29. Mounted on the cross-bar 26, is a transverse rod 30, on which are pivotally'mounted a series of punch-controlling devices (indicated in general at 31), each comprising a horizontal arm 32 provided with a reader finger 33 positioned in the line of travel of one of the several longitudinal rows of perforations in the master-sheet, and also comprising a vertical arm 34 which engages the lower end of the respective punch 20 when the reader-finger 33 drops into an opening in the master-sheet. Each of the punclrcontrolling devices 31 is provided with a spring 35 to normally hold the respective reader-finger 33 in engagement with the master-sheet 10. Means are provided for withdrawing such of the readerfingers 33 as have dropped into perforations in the master-sheet, such means comprising a yoke 36, extending in front of the arms 34 and secured to a slidably mounted cross-bar 37 This cross-bar is actuated by means of a lever 38, which engages within an opening 39 in the cross-bar and is pivotally mounted at 40 on the cross-bar 26. The lever 38 is actuated by means of a cam 41, mounted on the shaft 27 and engaging the lower end of the lever. A spring 42 holds the lever 38 in engagement with the cam 41. Suitable step-by-step feed-mechanisms are provided for the note-sheets and master-sheet, comprising ratchet-wheels 43 and 44 actuated by any suitable mechanism (not shown). Suitable mechanism is provided for withdrawing the punches 20 after they have been operated, such mechanism including a crossbar 45 extending above lugs 46 secured to the punches 20, the cross-bar 45 being mounted to move with the cross-bar 26.

The operation of the yoke 36 and cross bar 45 is so timed, with respect to the operation of the ratchet-wheels 43 and 44 which feed the master-sheet and note-sheets, that the reader-fingers 33 and punches 20 will be withdrawn from engagement with the master-sheet and note-sheets, respectively, when the ratchet-wheels are advanced to feed the sheets forwardly.

The use and operation of the perforatingmachine is as follows: A master-sheet, provided with perforations 12 and 13, such as has been described, is placed in position in the machine with the spurs 19 engaging openings in the edges of the master-sheet, and the. blank note-sheets 47 are placed in position to be engaged by the feed-rolls 16 and 17. The machine is then put in operation to cause the master-sheet and note-sheets to be advanced, and the cross-bar 26 to be reciprocated accordingly. The reader-fingers 33 will ride on the master-sheet 10 until one of the openings in the master-sheet comes into position beneath a reader-finger. As long as the reader-fingers ride on top of the master-sheet, the reciprocation of the crossbar 26 will not cause the operation of any of the punches 20, as the arms 34 will not be in position to engage the punches. When, however, a reader-finger drops into an opening in the master-sheet, the corresponding arm 34 will move into position beneath one of the punches 20, and the subsequent reciprocation of the cross-bar 26 will cause the corresponding punch 20 to be raised and make perforations in the notesheets 47.

A. further operation of the machine will result in a withdrawal of the reader-iinger from the opening in the master-sheet and the withdrawal of the corresponding punch 20 from the punch-holes in the note-sheets, after which, the feed-mechanisms of the master-sheet and note-sheets will be advanced a step.

This operation of the punching-machine will cause the note-sheets 47 to be provided with the note-perforations 48 and with perforations 49 (Fig. 3) arranged to form suitable identification-indicia, such as numbers or letters. In the particular example shown in Fig. 3, the note-sheet is provided with an identification-mnnber 5'? 66.

It will be seen that my invention absolutcly insures that notesheets, prepared from the same master-sheet, will always be provided with the same idcntification-indicia, and that this indentification-indicia is provided without requiring any additional time or labor.

Since the perforations 49 will be in line with the tracker-openings, when one of the note-sheets is placed in position to cause a musical selection to be played, a discord will be produced soon after the last note perforation has passed over the trackerboard, due to the flushing of the trackeropenings through the perforations 49.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the arrangement of the perforations, which form the difierent numerals, is such that the omission of a perforation from one of the numerals, or the addition thereto of a perforation, will not render this numeral indistinguishable from other numerals. As specific examples of this feature, attention is called to the arrangement of perforations in numerals naught and eight, it being noted that the perforations forming the top and bottom of the naught are arranged in straight lines,

Whereas the perforations forming the too and bottom of the numeral eight have a formation, so that, even if the center perforation ofthe numeral eight were omitted,

tions used to form the naught.

from the arrangement of perforations used ter-sheet with means which,

Also referring to numerals 2 and 7 it will be noted: that the perforations forming th'etop of the numeral 7- are arranged in a straight line,while the perforations form'- ing the top of thenumeral :2 have a V-formation, so that, "even if two of the perforations forming the bottom of the numeral 2 should he accidentally omitted, the arrangement of the remaining perforations for this numeral could be distinguished to form the numeral 7.

Numerals 5*and 6 are also providedwith distinguishing characteristics, whereby the omission or addition of a perforation will not render these numerals indistinguishable.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A method of making note-sheets provided with note-perforations, and also provided with legible configuration indicia, which method comprisesproviding a maswhen said master-sheet is placed in position to control the operation of an automatic machine for op erating on sheets, will cause the sheets operated on to show predetermined legible configuration-indicia, and also to have predetermined note-perforations.-

2. A method of making perforated notesheets provided with note-perforations and also provided with perforated legible configuration-indicia, which method comprises perforating a master-sheet in such manner that, when used to control the perforating of said sheets, it will cause the sheets operated on to be perforated to show predetermined legible configuration-indicia, and also to havepredeterminednote-perforations, and using the master-sheet to control the perforating of said sheets.

3. A method of making note-sheets provided with note-perforations, and also provided with legible configuration indicia, which method comprises providing a master-sheet with means which, when said master-sheet is placed in position to control the operation of an automatic machine for operating on sheets, will cause the sheets operated on to show predetermined legible configur'ation-indicia, and also to have predetermined note perforations; placing the master-sheet in position to control the operation of an automatic machine for operating on sheets; and putting said machine in operation to perforate the sheets.

4. A method of making perforated notesheets provided with note-perforations and also provided with perforated legible configuration-indicia, comprising providing a master-sheet with means which, when the master-sheet is used to control the perforating of said sheets, will cause the sheets operated on to be perforated to show predetermined legible configuration-indicia, and also to have predetermined note-perforations, and using the master-sheet to control the perforating of said sheets.

5. A perforated. control-sheet having perforations therein arranged in rows longitudinally thereof for selectively controlling devices and having perforated legible configuration-indicia, said indicia-perforations being in alinement with said control perforations.

6. A method of making perforated notesheets provided with note-perforations, and also provided with perforated legible configuration-indicia, which method comprises perforating a master-sheet in such a manner that, when placed in position to control the operation of an automatic perforating-machine, it will cause: the sheet operated on to show predetermined legible configurationind'icia, and also to have predetermined noteperforations, placing the master-sheet in sheets provided with note-perforations, and

also provided with perforated legible configuration-symbols, which method comprises perforating a master-sheet in such a manner that, when placed in position to control the operation of an automatic perforating-machine, it will cause the sheet operated on to be perforated to show predetermined legible configuration-symbols, and also to have predetermined note-perforations, placing the master-sheet in position to control the operation of an automatic perforating-machine, and putting said perforating-machine in operation to perforate a sheet.

8. A method of making perforated notesheets provided with note-perforations, and also provided with perforated legible configuration-indicia, comprising providing a master-sheet with means which, when said master-sheet is placed in position in an automatic perforating-machine, may control the operation of said perforating-machine to cause the sheet operated on to be perforated to show predetermined legible configuration-indicia, and also to have predetermined note-perforations, placing the master-sheet in position so that'said means may control the operation of an automatic perforatingmachine, and placing said perforating-machine in operation to perforate a sheet.

9. A method of making perforated noteshcets provided with note-perforations, and also provided with perforated legible configuration-indicia, which method comprises perforating a master-sheet in such manner that when placed in position to control the operation of an automatic perforating-machine, it will cause the sheet operated on to be perforated to show predetermined perforated legible configuration indicia, and also to have predetermined noteperforations.

10. A method of making perforated notesheets provided with note-perforations, and also provided with perforated legible configuration-indicia, comprising providing a master-sheet with means which, when said master-sheet is placed in position in an automatic perforating-m achine, may control the operation of said perforating-machine to cause the sheet operated on to be perforated to show predetermined legible configurationindicia, and also to have predetermined noteperforations.

11. A control-sheet for producing notesheets, having means for controlling the production of note-controlling devices associated with said note-sheets, and also having means for controlling the production of legible configuration-indicia associated with said notesheets.

12. A control-sheet having perforations for controlling the placing of note-perforations in a note-sheet, and also having perforations for controlling the production of legible configuration-indicia associated with said note-sheet.

13. A control-sheet for producing notesheets, having means for controlling the production of note-controlling devices for said note-sheet and having means for controlling the production of perforated legible configu ration-indicia for said note-sheet.

14. A control-sheet for producing notesheets, comprising perforations for controlling the production of note perforations in said note-sheet, and also having means for controlling the production of perforated legible configuration-indicia for said notesheet.

15. A perforated control-sheet for producing note-sheets, said control-sheet having perforations therein arranged in rows longitudinally [thereof for controlling the production of note-controlling devices for said note-sheet and having perforated legible configuration-indicia for controlling the production of legible configuration-indicia for said note-sheet.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. FISHER.

Witnesses:

J. CLARKE HAGEY, ALFRED LEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, .D. G. 

